Donkey basketball rides in FridayThe annual Atkins donkey basketball game will be conducted 6 p.m. Friday at the high school gym to benefit the Atkins High School After Prom. The event will feature radio personalities Jarrett Jackson and Jesse Hays; Atkins Superintendent Mark Gotcher; Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones; Lady Red Devil basketball coach Craig Pinion; and Atkins school board member Mark Coffman. Although a full roster has yet to be released, additional people who’v...

Dover passes millage by 150 votesAfter two failed attempts, Dover voters finally approved a 3.2-mill increase by a vote of 696 to 546, according to final, unofficial results posted by the Pope County Election Commission Tuesday. More than 56 percent of voters voted for the millage increase, while just under 44 percent voted against. The 3.2-mill increase was the district's third and final try to fund the construction of 26 new classrooms, 10 renovated technology-ready classro...

Senate votes to cut scholarship awards for freshmenLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Senate voted Monday to reduce the lottery-funded scholarships incoming freshmen will receive and base its eligibility solely on standardized testing, despite concerns from Democrats that the move will hurt minority and low-income students. By a 22-12 vote, the Republican-controlled Senate supported changes to the scholarship program that supporters say are needed because of the lottery's dwindling revenue. The b...

Dover's final try at mill increase ends todayA 3.2-mill increase is a matter of safety, Dover School District Superintendent Jerry Owens said of the third and final try at the special election to fund a middle school construction project. During early voting, 235 people cast their thoughts on the millage increase and now with polls open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Dover, Owens is rallying the community to support the construction of 26 new classrooms...

Cyclone Quiz Bowl finishes 2nd in Southside TournamentThe Russellville High School Quiz Bowl team recently competed against 40 teams in the Fort Smith Southside Invitational Tournament at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith. The Cyclones finished second in the tournament with a 6-2 record. This was the final tournament for the Cyclones before the 6A West Region tournament. The Cyclones started the tournament with a convincing win over Hot Springs Lakeside by a score of 450-90. Game two was a ba...

School-based health center talk continues at DardanelleDARDANELLE — Discussion concerning a school-based health center continued during a called Dardanelle Board of Education meeting Friday at the administration office. Before making a decision on the pursuit of a grant for a school-based health center, board members agreed they wanted to know the estimated cost of renovations of the recently donated Centennial Bank building on Front Street. The bank building will eventually serve as the administr...

Keenan Field to see renovationsDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Board of Education approved plans for the renovation of Keenan Field at Dardanelle High School during a called meeting Friday at the administration office. With a $200,000 grant from Tyson Foods, the resurfacing of the track is one aspect of the renovations at Keenan Field. An updated drainage system, set of bleachers and visiting press box is also in the works after a unanimous vote from the school board. Board Pre...

House votes to stop giving Common Core-linked testLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas' House voted Friday to prohibit the state from administering a test linked to Common Core, the controversial education standards that are being reviewed by a task force formed by the state's Republican governor. By an 86-1 vote, the House voted to end Arkansas' participation in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers after June 30. The measure now heads to the state Senate. The tests are ...

Senate OKs district consolidation waiversLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A spokesman for Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says Hutchinson plans to sign into law legislation granting some school districts that have fallen below the state's minimum enrollment level to seek a waiver from a state law requiring them to merge with other districts. The comment comes after the state Senate voted 22-0 Thursday to approve the bill allowing districts with fewer than 350 students to apply for the waivers if they...

Attempt to cut Arkansas Lottery scholarships fails in SenateLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A proposal to cut lottery-funded scholarships in half for incoming college freshman and change the program's eligibility requirements narrowly failed before the Arkansas Senate Thursday after opponents said the move would hurt minority and low-income students. The Senate voted 17-9 in favor Thursday, but the bill needed 18 votes. The sponsor of the proposal said he'd bring the measure back before the Senate next week since s...

Little Rock to submit proposal to keep Arts CenterLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Little Rock will submit a proposal next week to stop the Arkansas Arts Center from moving out of the city and into North Little Rock. That discussions between the Arts Center Foundation and North Little Rock became public in January. The foundation had been in talks with North Little Rock officials about the possibility of moving to a new building near the river, funded by a portion of a possible sales tax increase. Little R...

Computers 4 Kids grants technology to River ValleyArkansas River Valley students without home computer access will be granted with their own personal desktops courtesy of Computers 4 Kids. Computers 4 Kids is a collaboration between Connect Arkansas and eSCO Process and Recycling to provide refurbished, Internet-ready computers to students who do not have computer access at home. To participate in the Computers 4 Kids program, students must also participate in the state free and reduced lunch...

Harrington's work to be displayed at UT this monthNeal Harrington of Russellville is an Associate Professor of Art and Gallery Director at Arkansas Tech University. His artwork, Feather Signal, was selected for the exhibition, New Prints Tour: Somewheres & Nowheres, which will be displayed at the Concourse Gallery at The University of Tennessee from March 1-31. The 14 works in this exhibition were originally included in a show at the International Print Center New York. The original exhibitio...

Senate OKs relaxing rules on forming new districtsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Senate has given final legislative approval to a bill easing restrictions on the creation of new school districts. By a 20-6 vote, the Senate approved and sent to the governor's desk a bill that would lower the amount of students a new district needs to splinter from an existing district. The legislation would lower the requirement from 4,000 students to 2,500. Supporters of the measure say it would allow Maumel...

Company donates $10M to Little Rock cancer centerLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical company has donated $10 million to a cancer center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. The Celgene Corporation's contribution to the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy was announced Monday. The money will help create the Bart Barlogie Center for Molecular Diagnostics. It also will help establish the Celgene Distinguished Endowed Chair in Molecular Th...

Four Atkins students win DAR essay contestsATKINS — Atkins Middle School students swept the recent American History Essay Contest hosted by the Dardanelle Rock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Reese Bixler, the winner in the fifth-grade division, was also named the winner of the state contest. He will be honored during an upcoming reception on at the Old State House in Little Rock. Emily Killer was awarded the winner in the sixth-grade division, and Reece Rooke was ...

Assistant superintendent contracts renewedCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Board of Education approved to renew two superintendents’ contracts during its meeting Feb. 23 at the high school media center. Following the recommendation of Superintendent David Hopkins, the board unanimously approved to renew the contracts of Toby Cook and Steven Wyatt. Assistant Superintendents Cook and Wyatt will have their contracts extended to the end of the 2016-17 school year. Wyatt has worked at the Cla...

Elementary students host drive for servicemenSequoyah Elementary School third-graders, Riley Barrett and Mary-Kate Honghiran, organized a drive to collect items for servicemen, principal Barbara McShane said Friday. “The inspiration struck when veterans came to our school and taught us about what they do. And we thought they do so much for us, that we should do something back for them,” Barrett said. “We talked to Mrs. McShane and then made flyers to give the whole school asking for thin...

Early voting begins Tuesday in DoverThe Dover School District is taking its third and final try at a millage increase to help fund a middle school construction project. Early voting for the proposed 3.2 mill increase will be conducted 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through March 9 at the Pope County Election Headquarters in Russellville. Polls will be open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 10, at the First Baptist Church in Dover. If approved, the money collected from t...

Arkansas State University bans e-cigarettes on campusJONESBORO (AP) — Arkansas State University has banned the use of e-cigarettes on its campus. The Jonesboro Sun reported the battery-operated device was banned by the university after receiving feedback from its constituency groups. The ban, which already includes cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, was announced to students Wednesday. The groups debated the issue, and the majority decision was that it would be better for the campus environment t...